Sports Briefs

AGENCIES

■ BASKETBALL

Bynum arrested in Israel

US basketballer Will Bynum was arrested by Israeli police on Saturday after allegedly running over a man as he left the scene of a nightclub brawl, according to police and Bynum's team, Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. The wounded man, a DJ at the club, was in serious but stable condition, the Haaretz newspaper reported. A group of basketball players -- including Bynum -- was at a Tel Aviv nightclub when they became involved in a fight, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. A 25-year-old man was arrested by police before dawn on Saturday after he drove away from the scene and ran over a 22-year-old man, seriously injuring him, Rosenfeld said.

■ BASKETBALL

Pippen scores in Finland

NBA great Scottie Pippen scored nine points for Finland league leaders Torpan Pojat who beat Honka 98-85 on Saturday in Vantaa, Finland. After a slow start, Pippen improved in the second half, smoothly grabbing nine rebounds and giving out several unselfish passes. "It was great, I did not know what to anticipate without a game for the last three years," the 42-year-old Pippen said. "My conditioning is not at the top level but I played with a great team and had a lot of fun." After trailing defending champions Honka of Espoo by 16 points with 4:36 left in the second quarter, ToPo rallied to win their 19th-straight game in the Finnish league. Pippen leaves Finland unbeaten on his Nordic Europe mini-tour three years after retiring from the NBA.

■ ICE HOCKEY

Billionaire may buy Leafs

Russian-born billionaire Alex Shnaider, a former Formula One team owner, is looking into a possible purchase deal for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Star reported on Saturday. The 39-year-old Canadian, whose estimated net worth is US$1.8 billion, has consulted investment bankers on the value of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), including basketball's Raptors, the iconic hockey Maple Leafs and their home arena. A spokesperson for Shnaider told the newspaper he has "initial interest" in the conglomerate, which also owns a Major League Soccer club, two condominium towers and a television network devoted solely to the hockey Leafs. The Star reported that Shnaider and his friend Tie Domi, a former Maple Leafs forward, have spoken with investment bankers together. MLSE is owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, TD Bank, CTV Globemedia and Larry Tanenbaum, a real estate mogul and was recently valued at US$1.5 billion.

■ ICE HOCKEY

Canada wins fourth under-20

Matt Halischuk scored in overtime for Canada to beat Sweden 3-2 and win a fourth successive world under-20 ice hockey championship on Saturday in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Canada made a perfect start to the final, with Brad Marchand scoring 87 seconds in, then Claude Giroux doubling the lead at 17:02 on a power-play. Sweden, who gave Canada its only loss in the preliminary round, came back in the third period through goals by Jonathan Carlsson and Tomas Larsson's equalizer with 38 seconds left, sending the final into overtime for the first time since 2000. Halischuk came through at 3:36 in overtime. Earlier, Nikita Filatov scored twice to help Russia defeat the US 4-2 and take the bronze medal. Russia led 4-0 on first-period goals by Alexei Cherepanov, Evgeni Kurbatov and Filatov, and Filatov's second 1:30 into the second period.